Playpen



Sept, 22, 1953' E. o. STANCLIFF PLAYPEN Filed Oct. 26, 1951 'INVENTOR.EDWIN O. STANCLJFF BY ATTORN EYS Patented Sept. 22, 1953 UNITED STATESATENT OFFICE The present invention relates to improvements in a playpen. It consist of the combinations, constructions, and arrangement ofparts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a play pen affording a confiningspace for an infant, or youngster, the pen being fashioned without abottom so as to conserve material. The lower edge of the pen. is adaptedto rest directly on the floor, or the like.

It is. particularly proposed in this invention to fashion a play penfrom sheet metal and tubing, thus permitting the several parts to bewelded into a unitary and durable structure. Thus, the Den may besubjected. to considerable abuse, and still it is sufficiently light inweight to permit it to be transported from place to place with facilityand, case.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification,continues. The novel features will be set forth, in the claims hereuntoappended.

Drawin For a better understanding of the invention, reference should behad to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this application, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional View taken through my play pen, alongthe plane II of Figure 3;

Figure 2. is an enlargement of the butt joint indicated at in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a; side elevational view of the play pen, both sides beingidentical with one another;

Figures 4 and 5 are enlarged vertical sectional views taken along the.planes IV--IV and V-V, respectively, of Figure 3.

While I have shown only the preferred. form of my invention, it shouldbe understood that various changes, or modifications, may be madewithin. the scope of the annexed claims Without departing from thespirit there-oi.

Detaile descript on In carrying my invention into practice, I provide alooped band of sheet metal, which is indicated generallyat A. This banddefines an upright wall having rolled lower and upper edges it and M,respectively, these rolls projecting toward the outside of the loop.

The lower edge ill is adapted to rest directly on a floor :2, or thelike, and this eliminates the requirement of providing a bottom for theplay pen. As shown in Figure 3, the upper edge H is spaced at a desireddistance above the floor.

The confines of the loop band provides a playin area it in which aninfant or youngster may be restricted. Inasmuch as the looped band A ismade from sheet metal, cross-drafts will be prevented from striking thechild while sleepin or crawling below the upper edge I I. Also, thesolid wall will preclude toys from being thrown or pushed therethrough.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, I have shown the looped band A asbeing made up of two sheets of material designated at Al and A2. The endsections of these sheets are butteol together to define seams I5.Upright strips it are secured by welding, or other suitable fasteningmeans, to the interior of the loop to overlie and conceal these seams.

As shown in Figure 2, the strips I 6 are curved on their innermostfaces, and have opposing upright edges ltd merging into the end sectionsof the band without interruption. Figure 3 illustrates the strips 15 ashaving a length to extend between the lower and upper edges id and I l,respectively, of the looped band.

Moreover, the play pen includes a plurality of upright tubular standards11, which are welded, or otherwise secured, to the exterior of thelooped band to extend thereabove. The lower ends Ila of these standardsare arranged to rest on the floor E2, or the like, so as to obtainadditional firm support for the standards.

For the purpose of increasing the. overall height of the confining area,a pair of spaced-apart looped tubularrails it are welded or securedhorizontally on the standards ll above the upper edge i l of the band,A. These rails provide handgrasps, which may be utilized for movin theplay pen from place to place. Also, they may be gripped by the childwhen the latter begins to stand upright.

In order to providea strong joint at the seams i5, I have shown two ofthe standards I! as being arranged in overlapping relation with thebutted end sections of the sheets Al and A2. These two standards on theexterior of the loop, and the pair of upright strips IS on the interiorthereof, coact to form a particularly strong joint at the seams.

The entire interior of the play pen has been fashioned withoutprojections that would serve to injure a youngster. In this connection,the following structural facts are pointed out: the rolled edges ifillproject toward the exterior of the looped band; the strips to merge intothe sheets A! and A2 without interruption; and the 3 standards H aredisposed exteriorly of the looped band A and the rails l8.

Thus a relatively light-weight play pen has been provided, which issturdy in construction, and easily moved from place to place.

I claim:

1. In a play pen of the character described: an open-bottom loop-shapedband of imperforate sheet metal defining an upright solid-face enclosingwall; the confines of this wall providing a playing area; the bandhaving an unobstructed lower edge adapted to rest flush with anddirectly on a floor, or the like, and further having an upper edgespaced above the fioor; a plurality of upright standards disposedentirely outside of the playing area and being secured to the exteriorof the loop band to extend thereabove; the standards abutting directlyagainst the band to reinforce the latter; and at least one loop-shapedrail supported horizontally on the standards above the upper edge of theloop bands to increase the overall height of the confining area.

2. In a play pen of the character described: an open-bottom loop-shapedband of imperforate sheet metal defining an upright solid-face enclosingwall; the confines of this wall providing a playing area; the bandhaving an unobstructed lower edge adapted to rest flush with anddirectly on a floor, or the like, and further having an upper edgespaced above the floor; a plurality of upright standards disposedentirely outside of the playing area and being secured to the exteriorof the loop band to extend thereabove; and at least one loop-shaped railsupported horizontally on the standards above the upper edge of the loopband to increase the overall height of the confining area; the standardsabutting directly against the exterior surface of the loop band toreinforce the latter, with the bottom ends of these standardsterminating fiush with the lower edge of the band and arranged to restdirectly on the fioor to give firm support to the standards.

3. In a play pen of the character described: a loop-shaped band ofimperforate sheet metal defining an upright solid-face enclosing wall;the confines of this wall providing a playing area; the band having anunobstructed lower edge adapted to rest flush with and directly on afloor, or the like, and further having an upper edge spaced above thefloor; the band defining at least one upright butt seam; and an uprightstrip abutting directly against and being secured to the interior of theband, and overlying the seam to reinforce and conceal the latter; thisstrip defining a horizontal curvature throughout its entire height onits innermost face, and having opposing upright edges merging into theinterior face of the band without interruption to provide a continuoussurface therewith.

4. In a play pen of the character described: a loop-shaped band ofimperforate sheet metal defining an upright solid-face enclosing wall;the confines of this wall providing a playing area; the band having anunobstructed lower edge adapted to rest fiush with and directly on afloor, or the like, and further having an upper edge spaced above thefloor; the band defining at least one upright butt seam; an uprightstrip abutting directly against and being secured to the interior of theband, and overlying the seam to reinforce and conceal the latter; thisstrip defining a horizontal curvature throughout its entire height onits innermost face, and having opposing upright edges merging into theinterior face of the band without interruption to provide a continuoussurface therewith; and an upright standard secured to the exterior ofthe band in overlapping relation with the butt seam of the band toreinforce and conceal this scam.

5. In a play pen of the character described: a loop-shaped band ofimperforate sheet metal defining an upright solid-face enclosing wall;the confines of this wall providing a playing area; the band having anunobstructed lower edge adapted to rest fiush with and directly on afloor, or the like, and further having an upper edge spaced above thefloor, the band defining at least one upright butt seam; an uprightstrip abutting directly against and being secured to the interior of theband, and overlying the seam to reinforce and conceal the latter; thisstrip defining a horizontal curvature throughout its entire height onits innermost face, and having opposing upright edges merging into theinterior face of the band without interruption to provide a continuoussurface therewith; and an upright standard secured to the exterior ofthe band in overlapping relation with the butt seam of the band toreinforce and conceal this seam; the bottom ends of the standard andstrip terminating flush with the lower edge of the band so as to restdirectly on the fioor to give firm support for the standard and strip.

6. In a play pen of the character described: a loop-shaped band ofimperforate sheet metal defining an upright solid-face enclosing wall;the confines of this wall providing a playing area; the band having anunobstructed lower edge adapted to rest fiush with and directly on afloor, or the like, and further having an upper edge spaced above thefloor; a plurality of upright reinforcing standards disposed entirelyoutside of the playing area and being butted directly against andsecured to the exterior of the loop band to reinforce the latter; theupper and lower edges of the band having reinforcing rolls thereonprojecting outwardly of the band and disposed entirely exteriorly of theplaying area, with these rolls extending between and abutting adjacentstandards.

EDWIN O. STAN CLIFF.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 485,896 Sterry, Jr. Nov. 8, 1892 1,006,796 Ruff Oct. 24, 19111,010,379 King Nov. 28, 1911 1,260,886 Eberle Mar. 26, 1918 1,753,328Barnes Apr, 8, 1930 2,041,509 OByrne May 19, 1936

